Closure cap for receptacles



y A. R. FERGUSSON 2,041,4fi3

CLOSURE CAP FOR RECEPTAGLES Filed Sept. 17, 1932 INVENTOR Rzg Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE CAP FOR RECEPTACIES Alan B. Fergusson, New York, N; Y. b Application September 17, 1932, Serial No. 633,581

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in closures for receptacles, such as-bottles, vials, jars,

and the like, having an open mouth or neck, and while the invention relates particularly to a two part closure the improvements are also applicable for use in a one piece closure for receptacles.

In providing a sealed closure for receptacles a certain percentage of leaks develops, particularly in receptacles made of glass, due to inequalities or irregularities in the wall surface about the mouth or neck opening, such as depressions and rises, produced by expansion and contraction of the glass in cooling, and with which a sealing pad or liner carried by the closure engages as the closure is applied to the receptacle. The sealing pad and the portion of the closure with which it engages is normally in a uniformly flat condition and when the closure, especially a closure of the locking or screw thread type, is applied to the receptacle as the closure is forced against the edge or end wall about the opening in the receptacle mouth the sealing pad engages more intimately and tighter with the high portions of said wall surface with the result that the pad will not be in intimate contact with the depressions or low points of said wall surface with the result that the closure will not be in leak tight connection with the receptacle. Furthermore, in the use of an ordinary receptacle closure the closure, or the sealing pad or liner therein, is brought only into engagement with the edge or end wall about the opening in the mouth or neck of the receptacle so that the leak preventing means is provided only between said edge or end wall and the closure.

It is the object of the present invention to produce an improved constructed and arranged closure for receptacles which will adapt itself to any irregularities in the surface of the wall about the opening in the mouth or neck of the receptacle and firmly press the sealing pad or liner carried thereby into intimate contact with the entire surface of said wall and overcome the above disadvantages.

It is a further object of the invention to also provide an improved structure of closure whereby the sealing pad will not only be pressed against the end wall about the opening in the mouth of the receptacle but will also be pressed against portion of the wall adjacent to and within the mouth opening of the receptacle.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a two part'closure cap including a screw threaded cup member nested within a cup member having a smooth skirt applied to the externally threaded neck of a receptacle and illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of an externally threaded portion of a receptacle neck with a two part closure cap of a modified embodiment of my invention appliedthereto, the closure cap being partly in section.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly in section, of an outer cup member of a closure cap as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the inner cup member of the Figure 1 embodiment.

Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of a snap on and off type of closure cap with my invention embodied therein and shown as applied to a receptacle neck.

Figure 6 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the snap on and oil cup member of the closure cap shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a dished member engaged within and interposed between the cup member and sealing pad of the embodiment shown in Figure 5 adapted to conform itself to irregularities in the wall surface about the opening in the mouth or neck of the receptacle and holding the sealing pad tightly thereto.

In carrying out the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 there is provided an outer cup member 8, preferably drawn from a blank, having a smooth flange or skirt 9 with the end wall extending in a flat and even plane, although it will be obvious that the skirt may be constructed from a blank rolled to tubular form and secured by a side seam and the end wall being a disk retained in the skirt, as by a seem in connection therewith.

Nested and concealed within the outer cup member is a second cup member ID, preferably drawn from a blank, the skirt of which has formed therein a shoulder, such as a screw thread, to have locking engagement with a shoulder, such as an external screw thread or sections of a thread, about the neck or mouth of a receptacle, shown as a bottle ll, only so much of the bottle being shown as is essential to an understanding of the invention. The inner cup member is retained in and connected with the outer cup member to participate in the rotative movement of the latter in applying the closure to a receptacle by flanging or turning in the marginal portion of the skirt of the outer cup member over the edge of and into locking engagement with the marginal portion of the skirt of the inner cup memher, as shown at l2. The skirt of the inner cup member, which may be effected by the forming of the thread therein, is preferably of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the skirt of the outer cup member so as to be spaced therefrom to permit of a slight reforming of said threaded skirt to compensate for irregularities in the wall surface of the bottle neck or screw thread thereon. To seal the contents of the receptacle from the atmosphere as well as to prevent leakage and evaporation of the contents of the receptacle, a sealing pad or liner IS, in the form of a disk of cork or cork composition, is inserted preferably loosely into the inner cup member to be interposed between the end wall of said member and the edge or end wall about the opening in the mouth or neck of the receptacle.

As stated, irregularities such as depressions or risers or humps develop in the surface of the wall of the receptacle, particularly when made of glass due to the expansion and contraction of the material in cooling or otherwise in the manufacture of the same. In order to cause the sealing pad to conform to irregularities in the wall surface about the opening in the mouth or neck of the receptacle the end wall or bottom of the inner cup member is rendered resilient to adapt it to have outward yielding movement. In the present instance this is effected by providing said end wall with a series of radial slits l4 equidistantly spaced about said end wall produced by incising the material, the slits extending from a point adjacent the center of said wall and terminating within the juncture of the end wall with the threaded skirt. The end wall of the cup member is depressed inward, as at l5, within the juncture of said wall with the cup skirt to provide the same with the annular flat portion I 6 to engage with the sealing pad in opposed relation to the edge or end wall about the opening to the bottle mouth or neck, the depressed portion adding resiliency to the areas between the slits and adapted to engage within the mouth or neck of the bottle and forcibly press the sealing pad to the portion of the wall within the opening about the mouth or neck. The depressed portion in effect functions as a wedge in the neck of the bottle which serves to firmly hold the sealing pad in and to the mouth wall and by the radial slitting of this depressed portion as described as the closure is forced onto the bottle neck by screwing the closure thereon the end wall will yield and conform itself to the shape of any irregularities in the surface of said neck and maintain the sealing pad in intimate and tight engagement therein.

While the flattened portion of the end wall of the inner cup member ID may be arranged to be contiguous and in abutting relation to the end wall of the outer cup member 9, as shown in Figure 2, in order to permit the radial portions of the end wall between the slits to be readily flexed to conform to irregularities or variations in the wall surface of the opening in the bottle neck, the end wall at the juncture thereof with the threaded skirt is provided with an outwardly pressed bead against which the end wall of the outer cup member is adapted to rest.

By the structure and arrangement of closure cap as described as the closure cap is forcibly drawn to the neck of the bottle by screwing the closure cap thereon the portions of the end wall between the slits of the inner cup member will yield outward and by the inherent tension or spring action of the material to assume its normal position such portions will ride over risers or humps and into and out of any depressions in the wall surface and resume their normal positions in the areas adjacent the humps and any depressions as the closure cap is applied to the bottle, and the depressed portion l5 molding or shaping the sealing pad to fit tightly into and conform itself to variations in the side of bottle neck as well as to variations in the inner diameter of bottle neck, and thus provide a positive seal for the contents of the bottle from the atmosphere and sealing the contents in the bottle against leakage and evaporation.

While the invention has been described as a two part closure cap comprising the inner cup member l0 having the end wall depressed inwardly and radially slitted and the outer cup member 9, the inner cup member may be used as a receptacle closure by itself, the purpose of the outer cup member being to enhance the appearance of the closure cap by concealing the thread formed in the skirt of the inner cup member and seal the sealing pad from moisture entering the slits in the end wall of the inner cup member.

In Figures 5 to 7 there is illustrated an embodiment of the invention in connection with what is termed as a snap on and off closure cap, comprising a cup member l8 the flange or skirt of which is of outwardly convexed form in vertical section, as shown in Figure 5, to conform the same to the curvature of the outer surface of a bead I I about the mouth or neck of the bottle, the skirt being slitted, as at l9, to provide it with tongues between the slits normally assuming a predetermined position by the inherent tension of the material thereof and adapted to be expanded outward to engage the closure upon a bottle neck. The end wall of the cup member is arranged to crown form, and is provided with an inwardly extending annular depression within the juncture of said crown portion with the flange or skirt, as at 2|, adapted to be in opposed relation to the end wall or edge about the bottle mouth to impinge against and press a sealing pad l3 against the end wall about the'mouth of the bottle neck to seal the contents in the bottle. To effect intimate engagement of the sealing pad with the wall surface about the mouth of the bottle neck and positively seal the contents in the bottle a yielding dished member 22 having an annular substantially flat portion 23 is interposed between the cup member 18 and the sealing pad with the rim 23 extending in opposed relation to the end wall of the bottle mouth, as shown in Figure 5. The dished member is rendered resilient whereby it will conform itself to any irregularities, such as depressions or humps, in the wall surface about and within the mouth of the bottle neck and firmly hold the sealing pad in intimate engagement with all portions of said wall surface to positively seal the contents of the bottle. This is eflected in a manner similar to rendering the end wall of the cup member I 0 resilient and yielding by providing the cupped portion of the member 22 with circumferentially and equidistantly spaced radial slits 24, the slits extending from a point adjacent to the center of the bottom wall of said member through the wall of the cup portion, which is preferably tapered, and terminating at the juncture of said wall portion with the rim portion 23. The cup member 22 with the sealing pad may be engaged in the cup member I 8 prior to the applying of the closure cap to the bottle, or the cup member 22 and pad may be applied to the opening in the bottle neck when the outer cup member I8 is applied to the bottle neck.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a closure cap for receptacles having a mouth, a pair of nested cup members, the inner cup member concealed by the outer cup member and having a threaded skirt and an inwardly depressed end wall to engage within the receptacle mouth, and said depressed end wall having circumferentially spaced slits extending radially from adjacent the center to within the juncture of said wall with the skirt of the cup member.

2. In a closure cap for receptacles having a mouth, a cup member, a second cup member engaged in the first cup member having the end wall depressed inwardly with circumferentially spaced radial slits commencing adjacent the center and terminating within the periphery of said wall adapting adjacent areas of said wall to have flexing movement relative to each other and arranging a peripheral portion bounding the slitted portion to engage the end wall of the outer cup member to permit of the flexing of the adjacent areas thereof.

3. In a closure cap for receptacles having a mouth with an exterior shoulder, a pair of nested cup members, the inner cup member having a shoulder formed in the skirt to cooperate with the shoulder on the receptacle to draw and lock the closure member thereto and the end wall depressed inwardly and arranged with an outwardly extending annular bead at the juncture thereof with the skirt to engage the end wall of the outer cup member, a flattened annular portion with said bead to be opposed to the end wall about the receptacle mouth, and a portion within said flattened portion to engage in the recep tacle mouth, and said depressed portion having circumferentially spaced radial slits extending from adjacent the center to within the juncture of the flattened portion with the head to adapt adjacent areas thereof to be flexed relative to each other.

4. In a closure for the mouth of a receptacle having an exterior locking shoulder, a pair of nested cup members, the skirt of the inner cup member having a diameter substantially the same as the receptacle mouth and arranged with a shoulder to co-operate with the receptacle shoulder to draw and lock the closure to the receptacle mouth, the skirt of the outer cup member having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the skirt of the inner cup member and secured at the rim portion to the rim portion of the skirt of the inner member with the remaining portion of the skirt spaced from the skirt of the inner member whereby the skirt of the inner member is adapted to be expanded and compensate for irregularities in the shoulder on the receptacle mouth, the end wall of the inner cup member having an annular flat portion to be opposed to the end wall of the receptacle mouth and depressed inwardly from said annular portion to be engaged within the receptacle mouth and having spaced radial incisions extending from adjacent the center of the depressed portion through the flat portion renders adjacent areas of the depressed portion resilient and adapted to be flexed relative to each other to compensate for irregularities in the wall of the receptacle mouth as the closure is applied thereto, and a lining disk engaged in the inner cup member.

5. In a closure cap for the mouth of a receptacle having an exterior locking shoulder, a cup member having a continuous uninterrupted skirt arranged with a locking shoulder adapted to co-- operate with the locking shoulder on the receptacle mouth to draw and lock the closure to the receptacle mouth by a rotary movement of the cup member, the end wall or the cup member being depressed inwardly and arranged with equidistantly spaced radial incisions extending from adjacent the center of said wall to adjacent the juncture thereof with the skirt to adapt adjacent areas of the depressed end wall to be resiliently flexed relative to each other and conform said end wall to irregularities in the wall of the receptacle mouth as the closure is applied thereto.

6. A closure cap for a receptacle mouth having an exterior locking shoulder, comprising a cup member of resilient material having a continuous and unbroken skirt arranged with a looking shoulder to co-operate with the locking shoulder on the receptacle to draw and lock the closure to the receptacle mouth, and a sealing pad in the cup member to be interposed between the end wall of the cup member and receptacle mouth, the end wall of the cup member having an annular fiat portion adjacent the juncture thereof with the skirt and depressed inwardly within said flat portion and radial incisions extending from adjacent the center of the depressed portion to the juncture of the flat annular portion of said wall with the skirt to adapt adjacent areas of the depressed portion to be yieldingly flexed relative to each other and conform said end wall to irregularities in the wall about the receptacle mouth as the closure is applied thereto and yieldingly press the sealing pad into intimate and firm engagement with the lip about the receptacle mouth as the closure 0 is drawn thereto.

7. In a closure for the mouth of a receptacle, a member adapted to be engaged upon the receptacle'mouth' having a continuous uninterrupted annular portion adapted to engage the end wall of the receptacle mouth and the portion within said annular portion depressed inwardly adapted to engage within the mouth-opening of the receptacle, and incisions spaced about and extending radially from adjacent the center of said depressed wall portion to the annular flat portion to render said end wall resiliently flexible and adapt the same to conform to irregulari-v ties in the wall surface about the receptacle mouth when the closure is applied thereto.

8. In closure'means for the mouth of receptacles, a cup member, a member having a central depressed portion bounded by an annular flat portion engaged in the cup member with the depressed portion opposed to the end wall thereof and the annular flat portion interposed between the cup member and end wall of the receptacle mouth, said depressed portion having equidistantly spaced radial incisions extending from adjacent the center of said depressed portion to the annular flat portion to adapt adjacent areas to be flexed relative to each other, and a disk of sealing material juxtaposed to the depressed member, the depressed portion of said member when the closure is applied to the receptacle mouth being engaged within the receptacle mouth and adjacent areas flexed to conform to irregularities in the wall about the receptacle mouth and press the disk of sealing material about and into intimate and firm engagement with the end wall about the receptacle mouth.

9. In a closure member for the mouth or a receptacle. a cup member, a member engaged therein having an annular flat portion engaging the end wall 01' the cup member and adapted to engage the end wall of the receptacle mouth, said member within the annular flat portion being depressed to extend into the receptacle mouth and arranged with spaced lineal separated portion; extending radially from adjacent the center of the depressed portion to the flat annular portion to render adJacent areas 01' the depressed portion resilient and adapted to be flexed relative to each other and conform the wall of the depressed portion to irregularities in the wall about the receptacle mouth when the closure cap is applied thereto.

10. In a closure cap for the mouth of a receptacle having an exterior locking shoulder, a pair of nested cup members, the skirt or the inner cup member being arranged with a locking shoulder to co-operate with the locking shoulder on the receptacle mouth to lock the closure cap thereto and having an outwardly depressed annular rib at the juncture of the end wall with the skirt to engage and space the end wall of the outer cup member from the end wall 01' the inner cup member, and the end wall 01' the inner member within said annular rib depressed inwardly to extend into the receptacle mouth and arranged with spaced radial incisions extending from adjacent the center 01 said depressed portion to the rib to render adjacent areas resilient and adapted to be flexed relative to each other and coniorm the wall of said inwardly depressed portion to irregularities in the wall about the receptacle mouth.

ALAN R. FERGUSSON. 

